By Reader Staff
Bayview
The annual weekend of excitement that is Bayview Daze is back with a host of events from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, July 4 and 5. The festivities start with the Red, White and Blue Pancake Breakfast at 8 a.m. at the Bayview Community Center (20298 East Perimeter Road). Local vendors selling a variety of goods will set up along Marietta Road for the occasion. The community will really kick things into high gear on July 5 with the 11 a.m. parade. The Bayview Bible Church (located inside the community center) will again sponsor the Children’s Fun Place beginning at noon, giving kids a safe space to play. Finally, grab a seat along the water to close out the weekend with a 10 p.m. fireworks display. Learn more at bayviewidaho.org.
Bonners Ferry
Bonners Ferry’s community will go all out this year, beginning with an hour-long parade downtown at 3 p.m. on July 4. Afterward, the Boundary County Fairgrounds will open its doors for all-day fun with vendors, food, games, bounce houses and live music. Local musicians, the Bonners Ferry Orchestra and Post Falls-based Americana, rockabilly musician Rusty Jackson will perform until the fireworks spectacular begins at 10:10 p.m. For more information, visit BonnersFerry4th.com.
2019 Independence Day Parade in downtown Sandpoint. Photo by Ben Olson.
Clark Fork
Residents of Clark Fork are getting an early start to the celebrations on July 4 with the 13th annual 5K Freedom Fun Run, beginning at 7 a.m. at the Filling Station Youth Center (108 East First Ave.). Enrollment is $25 for adults, $15 for students or $15 for family members running with a student. The funds support the non-profit Christian youth center and go toward scholarships for local seniors. The downtown parade begins later that day at 9:30 a.m., followed by foot races, vendors, turtle races, raffles and the watermelon eating contest at Memorial Field on the corner of Cedar Street and Ninth Avenue. The annual airplane drop will shower the community in coupons and dollar bills beginning at 1 p.m., and events will continue through the 3 p.m. log sawing, pole climbing and ax throwing competitions until raffle winners are announced at 4 p.m. The firework finale begins at dusk.
Garfield Bay
The warm smell of pancakes in the park (1226 Garfield Bay Road) from 8-10 a.m. announces the beginning of Garfield Bay’s celebrations. Later, the 10:30 a.m. parade blends into a noon ice cream social and cornhole tournament, followed by live country music in the park with the Jordan Paddock Band from 6-9 p.m.
Hope
Grab a waterfront seat nearly anywhere in Hope to watch a barge launch a firework extravaganza out over Ellisport Bay. The show begins just after dusk on July 4.
Priest River
Though Priest River cancelled its usual fireworks display, the celebration continues with the Fourth of July Family Fun Festival beginning at noon at 111 Main St. The party will include family-friendly games, snow cones, cotton candy, axe throwing, a mechanical bull and a dunk tank.
Sandpoint
The kids will lead the charge in Sandpoint with the annual Children’s Parade at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Grand Parade at 10 a.m., both of which will run from the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Church Street to the Bonner General Health parking lot (across from 301 Cedar Street). Keeping up a tradition that spans more than 70 years, the Sandpoint Lions Club will organize both parades, as well as the following party at Sandpoint City Beach. The festivities will include vendors, live music, the Lions’ beer garden and fireworks over the water at dusk.
